Rotary switch



Feb. 15, 1938. H. P. MIXER 2,108,777

' ROTARY SWITCH Filed Dec. 7, 1935 N Q :2 2 2 cod-3 Q E S N I: 0 cm e ,go O o Q 8 Q Q =IN O O O O WITNESSES INVENTOR Mp4 HRMIXER HIS QJTORNEYPatented Feb. 15, 1938 ROTARY PATENT OFFICE SWITCH Harold l. Mixer,Frankfort, N. Y., asaignor to Remington Rand Inc. poration of DelawareBuflalo, N. Y., a cor- Application December 7, 1935, Serial No. 53,285

4 Claims.

This invention relates to switches, and particularly to switches havingwipers adapted to be stepped in unison with the wipers of otherswitches.

It frequently becomes necessary to employ switches having a number oicontacts diilering from the number provided in standard switches.Switches having the desired number of contacts may be made to order, butthe cost is high. This cost may be avoided in some instances, as itsometimes happens that a switch having the desired number of contactscan be obtained if two or more standard switches are combined to form asingle switch. To combine standard switches in this way, the wipers oithe combined switches I must be stepped in unison, and thus far thedifficulty of doing this has made the combination of standard switchesimpracticable for the purpose mentioned.

It is an object of this invention to overcome this difliculty by causingthe wipers oi a number or combined switches to be stepped in unison.

It is a further object of this invention to opcrate the stepping!magnets of the combined switches at the same time, and also to releasethem at the same time in order that the wipers oi the combined switchesmay be stepped in unison. a

It is an additional object to hold the wipers in each of the combinedswitches in fixed angular relation to, the wipers oi the other switches.

The invention resides in the means for simultaneously operating thestepping magnet in each of the combined switches, and subsequently re-'a leasing them simultaneously, whereby the wipers o! the-combinedswitches are stepped in unison, and in the means for retaining thewipers in each of .the switches in fixed angular relation to the wipersin the other switches.

Briefly described, the invention consists of two or more rotary switcheseach having a plurality of wipers, a bank contact assembly with whichthe wipers cooperate and a stepping magnet, and means for alternatelyinterrupting and completing the operating circuits of the steppingmagnets in all of the switches whereby the wipers of the switches arestepped in unison.

Other objects of the invention will appear when 50 the detaileddescription, which follows, is taken in connection with the appendedclaims and with the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of one switches:

. I3. 2 shows in elevation, a pair of combined oi the combined switcheswith the bank contact assembly omitted for the sake of clearness ofillustration, and

Fig. 3 shows a chain circuit for controlling the stepping magnets of thecombined switches.

For the purpose of illustration, the invention is 5 shown applied tocombined switches oi. the type shown in patent to John Erickson, No.1,794,888, dated March 3, 1931, but it is to be understood that theinvention is applicable to switches of other types. As the combinedswitches are siml0 ilar in construction, a description of one willsufllce for both. This switch is described in no more detail than isnecessary to an understanding of the present invention, and for adetailed description. of its structure, reference is made to the abovementioned patent.

A bank of contacts, indicated generally by I (Fig. 1) has cooperatingwith it a wiper 2. The switch is provided with six of these wipers, as2-7, inclusive, (Fig. 2) and it is to be understood that each wipercooperates with a corresponding bank oi contacts, although but one ofthese contact banks is shown in the drawing. The banks 01' contacts aresuitably insulated from one another and are mounted in a bank frame 8which is adjustably secured to a switch frame 9, by meanslof which theswitch may be attached to a supporting member (not shown). The wipers2-1 inclusive, are likewise insulated from each other and are mounted ona common spindie III which is rotatably pivoted in the switch frame 9.

The ratchet wheel II and likewise the wipers 2-1 inclusive, are adaptedto be driven by a stepping magnet i2, secured to the switch frame 9.When the magnet is energized, it attracts the armature 13, which ispivoted on a pin it secured to the switch frame 9, and the top end 01'the armature is moved laterally against the tension of a spring I. Whenthis movement of the armature occurs, the pawl it, carried by-thearmature, is caused to engage another tooth in the ratchet wheel II bythe pawl spring I! and an arm i 8 on the armature 13 opens theinterrupter springs or contacts l9. When the magnet is de-energized, thespring l5 draws the armature and likewise the pawl I6 to its formerposition. The return movement oi the armature closes the interruptercontacts is. The pawl it in returning to its normal position advancesthe wipers 2-1, inclusive, into engagement with the next set of,contacts. This operation may be repeated as often as desired, and thewipers successively advanced over the contacts of theseassociatedcontactbanks. Thetensionoithe spring I5, which returns thearmature l3 to its normal position, may be adjusted by means of theadjustable member 20, which is provided with a slot adapted to receive abolt 2| secured to the switch frame 9. ,The adjustable member isprevented from being rotated about this bolt under tension of the springl5 by means of the pivot H. A stop pawl 22, secured to the switch frame9, serves to hold the wipers 2-1, inclusive, in engagement with thecontacts to which they were last stepped.

' The spindles I0 and ID in each of the combined switches aremechanically coupled to hold the wipers of each of these switches infixed angular relation. The coupling means comprise rods 23 and 24extending through openings in the spindles I0 and I0, respectively, anda tie member 25 which serves to strap these rods together. The tiemember is provided with slots 26 and 21'- which allow the spindles l0and It a suitable amount of lateral movement.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown the chain operating circuits for thestepping magnets l2 and I! of the combined switches. The operatingcircuits of the stepping magnet I2 extend through the interruptercontacts IQ of the same switch and also through the interrupter contactsIQ of the other switch, while the operating circuits of the steppingmagnet l2 of the other switch extend through the interrupter contacts I9of the same switch and also through the interrupter contacts l9 of theother switch. when thestepping magnet I2 is operated and the interruptercontacts l9 open, neither stepping magnet releases until the interruptercontacts I9 open. When the latter" contacts open, both stepping magnetsl2 and I2 release, causing the pawls, as l6, to step the wipers, as 2-1,inclusive, of each switch. As soon as one of the stepping magnets I! orl2 releases, the interrupter contacts of the same switch close, andoperating circuits for both stepping magnets are again completed withthe result that a new cycle of operation for the switches is begun.

In this way, the wipers of the combined switches are stepped in unisonby the alternate interruption and completion of the stepping magnetoperating circuits; while the coupling between the switch spindles holds'the wipers of the switches in fixed angular relation. It is to beunderstood that the invention could be readily modified to permit thecombination of a larger number of switches.

While I have described what I consider to be a highly desirableembodiment of my invention, it is obvious that many changes in formcould be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I,therefore, do not limit myself to the exact form herein shown anddescribed, nor to anything less than the whole of my, invention ashereinbefore set forth, and as hereinafter claimed.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. The combination of a pair of step by step' switches, each providedwith a plurality of wipers and a stepping magnet therefor, meansresponsive to the energization and deenergization of each of thestepping magnets for stepping the wipers, and interrupter contactsinteracting with each of the stepping magnets, the interrupter contactsin each switch being included in an operating circuit of the associatedstepping magnet in the same switch and in an operating circuit of thestepping magnet of the other switch ,whereby the stepping magnets aresimultaneously energized under control of the interrupter contacts ineither switch and simultaneously deenergized under the joint control ofthe interrupter contacts in the several switches to step the wipers ofthe switches in unison.

2. The combination of a pair of step by step switches, each providedwith a plurality of wipers and a stepping magnet therefor, meansresponsive to the energization and deenergization of each of thestepping magnets for stepping the wipers, and interrupter contactsadapted to be opened upon the energization of each of said magnets andto be closed upon its deenergization, the interrupter contacts in eachswitch being included in an operating circuit of the associated steppingmagnet in the same switch and in an operating circuit of the steppingmagnet in the other switch whereby the stepping magnets aresimultaneously energized upon the closure of the interrupter contacts ineither switch and simultaneously deenergized upon the opening of theinterrupter contacts in both switches to step the wipers of the switchesin unison.

3. The combination of a pair of step by step switches, each providedwith a plurality of wipers and a stepping magnet therefor, meansresponsive to the energization and deenergization of each steppingmagnet for stepping the wipers, and interrupter contacts interactingwith each stepping magnet, the interrupter contacts in each switch beingincluded in an operating circuit of the associated stepping magnet inthe same switch and in an operating circuit of the stepping magnet ofthe other switch whereby the stepping magnets are simultaneouslyenergized upon the closure of the interrupter contacts in either switchand simultaneously deenergized upon the joint opening of the interruptercontacts in the several switches to step the wipers of the switches inunison, and means for holding the wipers of the several switches infixed angular relation.

4. The combination of a pair of step by step switches, each providedwith a plurality of wipers, a spindle carrying said wipers and astepping magnet therefor, means responsive to the energization anddeenergization of the stepping magnet for stepping the wipers, andinterrupter contacts interacting with each stepping magnet,

the interrupter contacts in each switch being inthe interrupter contactsin the several switches to step the wipers of the switches in unison,and coupling means connecting the spindles of said switches to hold thewipers carried thereby in fixed angular relation.

HAROLD P. MIXER.

